Art Goes With Music
by Queeaboo
Summary: "Our life together was the best time of my life, and I can't help being sappy about how I met you. I'm glad i was able to spend my life with you, the beautiful man named Riku." A story from Sora about his love and the life they have lived together.
1. Chapter 1

Looking back on my life now, all the decisions I've made and the stupid things I've done, I don't regret them. Yes, I do wish that I made some smarter decisions, like that one time I decide to buy gas station sushi or the time I didn't listen to you when you told me not to buy a parrot who went on to bite of part of my cheek and fly away. But, I did all of those things with you, and if I didn't run away back then, I never would have met you.

But here I go, being sentimental and cheesy, but I know deep down you like it. I'm just glad that I can remember almost every detail of you and our story.

* * *

The First Month:

It was midnight, 3 hours after I had had a fight with my father about my dream. I came up with the lamest excuses for why being a musician and movie to hollywood was easy, set in stone that I would make it. He yelled back at me that I was being delusional, but if I wanted to waste my life away, I could go ahead.

My mother didn't say anything during the entire conversation, she never was one for fighting let alone when two people she loved most in the world fought. She stood next to my confused twin brother, Roxas, who didn't say anything either. Nor did he say anything to me after the fight, remaining silent as he passed me in the hallway. That was the night I decide I was done

I packed all of my bags, stole the money from the cookie jar, and left out the front door at midnight, heading for the bus stop. Part of me was nervous, but the other half was bursting with excitement. I was finally going to be free, follow my dreams, prove to my father once and for all that knew what I was doing! All I needed to do was take the first step.

I bought a ticket from the booth and took a seat at the stop. I was surrounded by people carrying large bags on their backs, little old ladies with their hair held back in a bandana, addicts with their heads down. I felt awkward surrounded by these people at twelve o'clock in the morning, with my guitar case covered in stickers from bands and cartoon characters, a large duffle bag, threatening to burst open, and my baggy shorts that looked ten times to big.

I sat down next to one of the old ladies with a cart and put my earbuds in, trying to hold in my excitement. The bus was supposed to come at 1:45 and it was currently 12:45, I had one hour to kill, which I spent being delusional. I started to plan the house I would live in, the nice car I would drive, the babes I would have dropping on the ground to praise me. What color I would paint my bathroom, the dog was I going to buy, the girl I would marry, and all the tabloids that would have my name with stupidity written all over it. Just all the things you told about when we met, which you commented on me having "the most active imagination ever" causing me to try and punch you.

The bus pulled up twenty minutes after it was supposed to and everyone stood up. They filed in one by one like soldiers. I was about to take my first step in my freedom, my story was about to begin. All I did though was fall asleep in the back of the bus

This was stupid, yet best, decision that I made in the series of decisions that led me to you.

As you would suspect, I didn't wake up until I had missed my stop by an hour and a four minutes, being awoken by the sun hitting the beach in Santa Monica. It took me a while to absorb what had happened, I grabbed my bags, slinging my guitar over my shoulder, and ran to the front of the bus to try and figure out where I was. After screaming internally, the bus stopped and I ran off. Looking around, I saw a large ferris wheel and what looked like an amusement park, turning to see buildings and people walking by. Freaking out until I turned around to only be met with a beautiful sunrise.

It painted the ocean with colors of red and oranges and yellow, kissing the sky filled with the same colors. I became captivated by its beauty, forgetting I was in the wrong area, snapping back into reality after about ten minutes. I needed to find out where I was, I needed to get to hollywood. I needed to get my dream back on track.

I slung my guitar case back over my shoulder and started to walk down a street leading into downtown. I looked at all the shops we would later on know the owners by heart, thinking to myself that they were building I would never see again.

I walked until I made it to a small coffee shop. This is where I met my best friend, the two of us spent arguing about stupid things with her, and coming here almost every morning just to talk about life. But right now, it was just a common little coffee shop hidden between two larger buildings.

I opened the door to be greeted by a small chime and a very peppy voice.

"WELCOME!" said the girl. She had a bob cut of dark red hair, obviously dyed, and a smile that filled up her entire face.

I sat down at a table by the window that looked out towards the sea, it was about mid morning now. The colors were fading now, but the sun reflected off of the glistening sea. I was thinking that I would maybe come back and buy a house here after I became famous, looking out at the sea so I could wake up to it every morning.

"SO! What would you like," the girl pulled me out of my fantasy.

"What?"

"What do you want? You're in a coffee shop," she pointed to the sign above the bar, "do you want coffee? Water? If you don't order anything, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"No, no, I-I'll take a flat white."

She scribbled something on her notepad and muttered, "Ok. ONE FLAT WHITE AXEL!"

"OK!" came a muffled response from the beneath the bar.

I jumped at her sudden screaming and turned my head back over to the sea. I pulled out my phone and turned on the screen. Fifty calls from my dad, twenty from my mother, and one hundred and sixty-five from Roxas, along with twenty texts. I unlocked the texts only to be greater by more swear words than I though Roxas knew.

I opened the map AP and waited for about ten minutes for it to load. It told me I was in Santa Monica, a place I would one day call home. I breathed a sigh of relief knowing I wasn't to far from HollyWood. All I would have to do is buy another bus ticket, and then I would be in hollywood.

"Here you go," the girl came back with a small cup of coffee with a design of a circle with smaller circles, surrounded by spikes in it.

"One flat white and," the girl sat down across from me, "I'm Kairi, what's your's?"

She held out her hand to me and I hesitantly took it, "Sora."

"So, Sora, since I've never seen you before and i know everyone here, what are you're here for?"

I was a-taken back, "What?"

"Well, you're dressed casually, have a duffle bag that looks like it might burst, and a guitar. If I had to guess I would say, you're running away from your family because they don't believe you can make it. So you left to pursue your dreams in hollywood, but on the ride here, you fell asleep and ended up in Santa Monica," head on the nail.

"How-how did you know that?" I asked starting to feel like I should leave as quickly as possible.

"Lucky guess, and the fact that a map of hollywood is sticking out of your side zipper of your bag," she said gesturing to my bag.

"Oh," I didn't know how to respond to what had happened and decide I would take a sip of the coffee.

She continued to ask me questions and tell me things about Santa Monica. I didn't know that this strange girl who could read me like a book would end up being my closest friend, someone who was a close friend to you too. I have a lot to owe this strange girl with the surprisingly natural red hair, who worked in the coffee shop with her older brother.

"Why Destiny Coffee?" this was the name of the coffee shop.

"My brother's idea, he originally wanted it to be called "Coffee of the Oblivion," but I talked him out of it. Plus, it's kind of romantic don't you think?" she said.

"I mean, kind of."

"So what's your plan?" she asked.

"Plan?"

"Yeah, like to get out of here, stay here, go to New York."

"Well, I'm going to get another ticket and head to hollywood, get a apartment, play at a coffee shop, and then wait to get discovered. My life will just become rose colored from there," i said putting my hands behind my head and leaning back.

She looked at me with a puzzled look on her face, "That is single handedly the most stupid thing I've ever heard in my entire life. Are you stupid or," she trailed off.

"What? How rude! I will have you know, I have the money an-" I had reached into my sweater pocket to grab my wallet only to find it empty.

"No, no no no no NO!" I started to frantically look for my wallet in all of my things, praying to God no one had taken it. I was so distracted I didn't hear the bell chime.

"Oh, Hi Riku!" Kairi said happily.

That bell signaled a long series of events that would one day bring us together. At the time, I didn't so much hate you as did i get highly annoyed by you. You were logical and pointed out my stupidity, which I couldn't stand because I desperately wanted to live out my fantasy. You were tall, muscular, had a bag slung over your shoulder, and a sketchbook in your hand. Your hair slightly covered your eyes, so you always held your head high and looked down. I found out later that it was so you could see clearly, that is until I made you cut it.

"How was the beach?" Kairi asked him, patting the chair next to her.

"Colorful, seagull filled, the same as it always is," he responded monotony, sitting down.

"Then why do you draw it all the time?"

"Because each one is different and beautiful in its own unique way. And the only thing worth drawing. Who's the kid?"

I was freaking out now, my head in my hand, trying to think of what could have happened to my wallet. I must have looked like a mess to you, or maybe I looked beautiful to you.

"Oh, this is the wanna be rock star, who ran away from home. His name is Sora."

"Hm," was your only response.

"I can't believe it, it's gone! My wallet with my money and everything, it's GONE!" I cried. I let my head fall onto the table.

"Ah, poor kid. Hey! I got an idea!" Kairi said enthusiastically. "Coffees on the house."

"I think he's going to need more than that to help him Kairi," said Axel walking up to us and placing a drink in front of you, "maybe you should just go home kid."

"I can't, my father will have my head. He probably already disowned me by now for running," I mumbled with my face on the table. "Plus all of my money is gone now, I bet it was that old hag."

"Hm, hey maybe you could stay with us? I mean, if you don't mind the couch," Axel offered.

"Yeah," Kairi chimed in, "You could stay there until you get enough money to pay for your own place! Mickey is looking for someone to run errands around town, you could work there."

I lifted my head up from the table, it took me a while to get that these two were just friendly to everyone and very trusting. But at this moment, I couldn't wrap my head around why they would offer me a place. My first thought was they were serial killers or cannibals.

"Um, you barely know me and I barely know you," I said.

"Well, that's how friendships start," Axel held out his hand. "Axel Perra, this is my little sister, Kairi Perra. I am her legal guardian, counselor, and boss."

I took his hand and shook it, "Sora, Sora Campedelli, a soon to be famous celebrity for his music."

"And this here," Kairi grabbed Riku's shoulders and jerked him, "is Riku McCallin, town artist and emo child."

"HEY!" you said. You glared at Kairi as she began to laugh.

This was the first day we met, our first exchange of words (though little). It was the beginning of the rest of our beautiful life, but we didn't and wouldn't accept it until much later. But looking back on those days, I can still remember what you're frustrated voice, the smell of coffee, and the pout that adorned your lips.


	2. Chapter 2

Second Month

Mickey was a small man of about 4' 8" with black hair and a wife named Minnie. They ran a delivery service called "Keyblade Delivery Service." There were tow other guys working there before me, Donald (who spoke with a lisp) and Goofy (his name is George, but he goofs up so much they started to call him Goofy). Then there was Pluto, their dog, who ran off so much I first thought he was a stray.

You apparently were going to work there, but something came up so they wouldn't accept you. I found out what it was much later, but at the time I started to become weary of you. Though, I am glad you didn't take that job, we wouldn't have met then.

I went around, delivering packages to people around Santa Monica, living by Mickey's motto to "not interfere with other people's lives." After about a few weeks i started to get what he was saying, especially since i still looked like fourteen year old. I started to meet the other people around town during these routes, the people we fought with and the people we made friends with. Least to say they only fought with me, you being the one to role things off your back.

By this time, living on Kairi and Axel's couch had become sort of a hindrance. I felt that i had over taken my stay and didn't want to be a nuisance. And since I had convinced myself that I liked Kairi, I wanted to show her I was a real man. The money i got wasn't nearly enough to pay for a place of my own. Santa Monica was way more expensive than i thought it was. I tried to make extra money helping around in the cafe, but with all my deliveries, I was exhausted by five o'clock.

You on the other hand were struggling to pay rent for your two bedroom apartment. The job you had payed well, but not as often as you would like. I would later on learn this as well as I tried to pursue my dreams, but you kept telling me to work at it.

Things started to get better around the middle of the month. I was getting back from a delivery, determined as always to help around the cafe, only to find myself almost falling asleep in the break room. Kairi told me to go sit down and take a breather before I passed out pouring coffee and get a first degree burn.

I sat down at the table that you were sitting at. Right by the window, looking out at the sea, watching the sun set over the ocean. For once you weren't sketching or coloring anything, just looking with what I assumed was a scowl. Becoming your friend was the farthest thing from my mind at that point, but I didn't want to be rude. Plopping myself down and letting off a sigh that clearly interpreted your silence was reason enough to ask.

"What's eating you?" I asked.

"Life. Work," you turned your gaze towards me. "You?"

I wasn't expecting an answer from you, staying for a while till i responded with, "Oh, work as well. I ran around Santa Monica all day trying to get a package from Pluto."

You laughed to my surprise. Sitting back you fully faced me, "So you played a game of cat and mouse with a dog all day?"

My face got red from embarrassment, "NO! I was—I was just… just."

I couldn't find the right words to respond. It was true, I play cat and mouse with a dog all day, but I wasn't about to admit that to you. I took it as a challenge from you for a fight, interpreting your comment as an insult. You were just trying to be funny though.

"Ok you two, cut it out," Kairi placed two coffees in front of us. "You've both had a long day, so just calm down and act like adults."

We both got quite. Kairi was more of our mom those first few months, constantly arguing about trivial things because we both didn't now how to properly express out feelings. She sat down next to me, in which I started to blush, which made you shift in your seat to look elsewhere.

"So," she said, "how's work Riku?"

"Fine," you said not looking at her.

"Hey," she snapped her fingers. "Look people in the eyes when you talk to them, it's rude."

You turned your head to face her, "Work was fine mom."

"Thank you son," she turned to me. "Sora, how was your work?"

"Ok I guess, Pluto stole one of my packages again. It was one for the mayor too. Donald gave me an earful about watching him," I said pouting.

"How ever will you two make it without your mother?"

"Easier than you think," you said.

She hit you upside your head with her notebook, "If you continue to be rude you'll have to sit in the corner."

You didn't respond to her second comment, I responded by laughing at you which resulted in me having the same treatment.

The three of us could talk for hours on end, this one being our fifth time, yet in the beginning I kept trying to be better than you. I felt that you would ruin an chances I had with Kairi. I wasn't wrong, just had the wrong reason.

"How's house hunting Sora?" Kairi asked.

"Terrible! Anything I look at is well over anything someone on minimum wage could afford! Maybe that's why so many people are homeless here," I said throwing my head back in protest. "Maybe I should go to another town."

"You know you always have the couch right?" Axel came and took my empty cup.

"Yeah, but a musician/songwriter needs his own home right?" I said.

"Well, Riku's roommate recently left him," Kairi said as you spit your coffee all over the table.

"No," you said sternly.

I will admit I was a little hurt by this but I thought it was because I almost had a home rather than a couch.

"Oh, come one Riku!" Kairi said getting up to walk behind you. She draped her hands over your shoulders and leaned on top of you, "Don't be such a edge queen and give the kid a break! He needs a place to stay."

"He has a couch and a roof over his head."

"Yeah but its MY couch. And I want to stay up later watching Friends reruns," Axel says coming back over to our table. "I also know your angry today because he left you to pay for that apartment by yourself."

"I can do it, I'll just sell my art," you say looking out the window again.

"You wont part with any of your art and you know it," Kairi lowered her head to be right next to yours, "That's why you do digital art for your job. The day you part with your art is the day you die."

You blushed from her comment and closed your eyes. After two minutes you finally said, "How much do you make?"

"$10 an hour, I just started but I promise I'll pay for your apartment by myself when I get more money than I know what to do with," I gave yo a thumbs up.

You sighed as you placed your now empty cup of coffee on the table. You stood up with the grace of a cat and placed some money on the table. You never looked someone in the eye when you got mad, you had no point in doing so. "Don't let your enemy know they have you in a bind" were the words you told me years later.

"Have your half of the rent by the end of the month and I'll think about letting you in. It's about $550 and don't forget you half to pay into the groceries and other things like that," you gave me one final look before you walked off.

I sat there with my mouth open. I have a place to go to, the beginning of my story, it's with a jerk but who cares? I can finally have a bed, a room to myself, and I could now ask Kairi out with it not being awkward!

I jumped out my seat and started to dance around happily, though in my mind I was planning my first date I would take Kairi on. It didn't hit me I would have to stay with someone I despise, just the fact that I had a place to stay. It was when I went to bed that I started to ask how I would do all this.

I was laying on the couch, looking at the ceiling when Axel came in.

"Can't sleep?"

"I could if I thought my actions through during the day instead of heading straight first into things.

Axel went over the fridge and pulled out a beer. After popping off the top he said, "Penny for your thoughts?"

"That would actually help me thank you."

Axel laughed and sat down on the coffee table across from me. I sat up and looked at him.

"How am I going to live with that guy? He's the complete opposite of me! And I bet he will burn me at the stake if I don't put a coaster under my drink!"

"He's not that bad Sora, plus he likes you I can tell," Axel was referring to like like but I didn't catch on then. It took about a year to finally get it through my head.

"Yeah and I bet he also likes eating people like Hannibal Lector."

"Just get to know him, he's having a rough time right now. You're both struggling artist, bond over that."

"He's not struggling if he has a stable job."

"He doesn't want to be a illustrator for kids books though, he has to have the job in order to survive. Just like you have to have the delivery job," Axel leaned in closer. "Just between you and me, I wanted to be a famous author, but I ended up working at the cafe."

I was surprised, Axel didn't seem like he wanted to do anything other than work at the cafe. Though his strange names did give a hint at that.

"Why don't you? You can still do it, can't you?"

Axel leaned back and took a drink from his beer, "Sometimes life gets in the way of your dreams and the just have to stay end up having to take care of someone else and then you only dream is helping them achieve their dreams."

Axel gave a small smile as he looked down into the beer can. The both of us became closer over the years, for many different reasons, some of which I didn't like at the time but learned to accept. You would get jealous from time to time, but saw it was good to have a friend like Axel. He was just another person who helped me along.

"Don't stay up to late," he said as he walked back into his room and closed the door.

I mulled over the words he told me throughout the night. Beating my head because I didn't understand it completely resulting in me running late for work the next morning. Mickey wasn't happy and it didn't help that I only had two weeks to make your deadline.

I did it though, to your dismay. I had gotten more then enough, paying for our ordered Chinese food later that evening when I moved in. I think I talked your ear off that night, and all the days up till now. I don't think you really mind though, it was nicer than the silence you always stayed in.

So our adventure began. A artist who painted the sunrise every morning and a wannabe rock star, just trying to make it in the world. But one of us turns into Axel and the other Kairi, but we were both ok with that. We just didn't want to admit it then, but I'm still happy with how our story unfolded.


End file.
